In celebration of Pride month, we talked to Ricardo Salinas, known professionally as Angel Rivera, who has worked with several top gay studios including Men.com and Twink Pop. Just under 30 years old, his high Model rank and brand marketing skills have taken him to heights he could not imagine. Read on to learn more about his sex toys, his content strategy, and of course, how he stays active and fit!
Tell us about Angel Rivera's origin story! Where and how did you start your career in the adult industry?
My origin story is simple. I applied to a studio, but I had not come out to my family at the time. After coming out to my parents at 20 and them not taking it too well, I was burnt out from my college studies in advertising and mass communications and needed a change. Eventually, I withdrew from school during my junior year. I went back to the studio where my spot was waiting for me. When I look back now, I realize I was impulsive and should have continued school, but I just jumped into the lifestyle. I had a pornstar boyfriend and felt like a rockstar. I would not trade it for a second, but I am 27 now and feel like I need more on my plate.
We are happy it worked out for you! Especially since you are regularly ranked in our Top 40 Models on PornhubGay. How do you market yourself to keep your fans engaged and your Model ranking at the top?
I feel lucky for sure. Porn has done more for me than I ever thought. With marketing, I go through different phases whether it is subscription sites, selling individual videos through a free subscription site, or using PornhubGay as a marketing tool for all the free porn watchers. Let’s be honest. Pornhub is where I spent a lot of my time way before this ever became a career. Now that it is a career, I look at Pornhub and X (formerly Twitter) as instrumental ways to promote myself and engage with fans while offering high-quality porn content for free.
You and many other people! Since those early days, what has been the biggest highlight of your career thus far?
I would say getting my signature Fleshjack toys and winning a Str8upgayporn Award for Performer of the Year. Those moments made me feel like I was on top of my game!
Those are outstanding accomplishments! Let’s shift gears now and talk about how one of our core values is freedom of sexual expression; what does this mean to you?
I feel it is the freedom to be open about your sex life and not just be a character for someone to follow. To be your authentic self without fear of judgement. Freedom of expression is also my core value as a Model and my ideal is to show my authentic sex life on camera.
We love to hear it. Authenticity is essential. Speaking of that, what does Pride mean to you and why is celebrating it an important part of creating a culturally rich society?
Pride is our awareness of our self-worth, and I believe we are most prideful when we are completely authentic and real with ourselves. I do not think we are meant to be identical; I think being different makes someone more aware of their surroundings. It is our uniqueness that guarantees a world full of creativity.
A world full of creativity is where we all want to be, isn’t it? Jumping off that point, who are some of your gay icons and what influence have they had on you?
Jean Michel Basquiat. His art reflects a depressed person navigating the world as best they can. When I moved to NYC and learned of his story, it moved me towards wanting to live an authentic, real life. The things that we love the most are the things that can kill us. We must learn to manage our vices before our vices manage us.
Basquiat really was one of a kind. We are glad to hear his work moved you. In the vein of inspiration, what advice do you have for other Pansexual Models starting out on Pornhub and how would you recommend leveraging Pornhub’s traffic to maximize their brand growth?
I would say be true to yourself. Do not worry about the haters, because there will be those who react negatively to your sexual self-expression. For brand growth, be sure to use your Pornhub content to boost your following and generate traffic to your subscription sites and social media platforms. Remember there is always an audience for you no matter what you bring to the table. Pornhub is the best way to find new fans!
We wholeheartedly agree! If there was one Performer you could collaborate with, who would it be?
Riley Reid. Hands down, absolutely her. I was an avid fan of two pornstars before I got into the industry, and I actually dated one of them. Riley was the other and it would be a dream to film with her. I live in LA, so I am already located in the land of the pornstars!
When you are not creating content, what kind of activities and hobbies do you have?
Making music, working out, figuring out how Ricardo is going to benefit from Angel. Not to say I am thinking of retiring, but at this point in my career I just try to make sure the scenes I do are scenes I really want to do.
Those sound like great ways to spend your time. Now we have to ask, what is the secret to your glowing skin and rocking body? Share your self-care routine with us!
Diet and choosing home cooked meals over fast food, working out, drinking lots of water, and doing my skincare routine twice a day. I will also just drop and do 10-15 push-ups at random times during the day. I try to do at least 100 a day.
What is next for Angel Rivera? What are some goals you hope to accomplish in the next year?
I am going to start filming seriously again, so I can invest and grow my financial side by the time I turn 30. That is why I got into this. I plan on going back to school or looking for a job that could lead to a career, working under somebody and learning the ropes of a business. Or, have my mom and dad retire and we go into a business together if I have enough money.
Check back for more Pride themed Model Spotlights the rest of the month! And if you hope to one day have your own signature toys and win awards like Angel Rivera, you can start by joining our Model Program and becoming a content creator! Learn more about it here.
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